Attachment for electric hair clipper



May 3, 1955 c. H. WITTHOF'FT ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER Filed June 16, 1953 MA! flat/4.1%

INVEN TOR,

ATTORNE If.

United States Patent ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER Charles Witthoift, Detroit, Mich.

Appiication June 16, .1953, Serial No. 361,955

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-202) The object of myinvention is to provide an attachment by means of which a tapering cut of hair may be effected. By this I mean that the height of hair as measured'from the scalp, at which said hair is to be cut, may be increased gradually beginning at the neck of a person, up-

wardly. Furthermore the object of my invention is to provide such a device, which, when so desired, will be adapted to be set for a haircut at the same distance from the scalp all over the area of its operative use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device capable of accomplishing the above purposes but yet one which will be simple in structure and reliable in operatron.

I shall now describe my device with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my device as attached to an electric hair clipper of which only a part is included in the drawing;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of my device on line 2-2 of Fig. l, the view including a horizontal sectional view across two rubber tired wheels which are a part of the device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of an arcuate rack forming a part of my device; Fig. 5 is a bottom view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bracket adapted to be attached to a hair clipper, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of parts forming a clutch.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The device includes a bracket consisting of a plate 10 a forms the front portion of said base plate. At each end,

plate 1i) includes a downwardly turned flange 14 which is provided with a circular aperture 15 serving as a bearing for an axle 16. The front portion of each flange extends in the direction of said comb 13 and is provided with two bearings 18 and 19 for support of pinions to which I shall presently refer.

The axle 16 is provided at each end with an axially disposed gear wheel 20 adapted to rotate with said axle but permitting a sliding movement of said axle therethrough. Adjoining the gear wheel on the outer surface thereof is a rubber tired wheel 21 in which numeral 22 indicates the tire alone. The wheel is composed of a solid member 23 having a hollow hub portion 25. An annular resilient shell 24 split at 24a is axially disposed within said hub and supports said solid member 23 for rotation about said shell. An integrally formed lug 24]) connects the shell at one point with the gear wheel 20 so that the shell and the gear wheel may rotate together. Extending from the shell radially towards the axle, are a plurality of pins 26. Normally the pins are in a frictional contact with said axle which at each end adjoining the respective gear wheel 20 is provided with an annular 2191328 "Patented May 3, 1955 groove 27. Mounted within said bearings 18 and 19, in the forwardly extending portions of flanges 14, are two arbors 28 and 29 of two pinions 30 and 31, respectively of which the latter is in mesh with the gear wheel 20. Secured to said axle 16 by means of two arms 32 is a plate 33 terminating at the front end with a comb 34. Each of the arms contains a hole 35 to accommodate the end portions of said axle 16. Rising from said plate 33 at each end thereof rearwardly of said com'b'34, are two arcuate racks 36 the racks being in mesh with respective pinions 30.

To conclude the description of my device, I wish to add that numeral 37 indicates button-like knobs at each end of the axle and that numeral 38 indicates stationary rings on axle 16 limiting the movement -'of the axle laterally with respect to wheels 21.

I shall now describe the manner in which the attachment will operate. As already stated the attachment is connected to the base plate of the clipper 12 by means of screws which are not shown, the screws passing through holes 11 in bracket 10. Upon such a connection to the clipper, plate 33 of said attachment will be in abutment with said base plate of the clipper so that comb 3401' the attachment will be directly beneath the comb 13 of the clipper itself.

it will be assumed that axle 16 of the attachment is so disposed with relation to wheels 21 that the inner ends of pins 26 will be in a frictional engagement with said axle. The axle bearing against the inner ends of the pins will cause them to expand the shell 24 into a binding contact with the solid portion of the respective wheel so that the shell, the solid portion of the wheel and the gear wheel 21') will rotate together. Thus the structure including the shell and the pins is equivalent to a form of a clutch.

Should the clipper be now applied to the scalp of a person, and moved upwardly from the neck of said person while the wheels 21 are in a frictional contact with the scalp, the rotation of said wheels will cause the rotation of the gear wheel 20. This in turn will cause the rotation of pinions 3i and 31, one of which, 3% is in engagement with rack 36. Actuated by the last named pinion, the rack will cause said comb 34 to recede from the base plate of the clipper and more specifically from the comb 13 which is a part thereof. As the spacing between the two combs will increase so will the distance from the scalp, at which distance the hair will be cut by the cutting element of the clipper. At the end of a continuous movement from the neck upwardly, the two combs 13 and 34 may again be brought towards each other to their original position by pressing said comb 34 manually towards said comb 13.

l t will be understood that notwithstanding said attachment the clipper may be used to effect a haircut at a uniform distance from the scalp of a person upon whom the clipper is to be used. All that needs to be done is to see to it that the inner ends of pins 26 projecting from the shell 24 in each wheel fit into the respective grooves in axle 16. This is done by shifting the axle endwise within its bearings in flange 14 by means of knobs 37 till the grooves 37 are alined with the pins 26. As the diameter of the axle at each groove is smaller than the spacing between the free ends of the opposed pins, the wheels 21 will be able to rotate freely about the axle without imparting a rotary movement to said axle and to the gear wheel 20.

I claim:

1. In combination with an electric hair clipper having a base plate terminating at its front with a stationary comb, a bracket consisting of a plate adapted to be attached to said base plate and a side flange depending from each end thereof, each side flange including an extension in the direction of said stationary comb, each flange being provided with a bearing for reception of an axle supported by both bearings and disposed parallel to said stationary comb, a gear wheel mounted upon said axle adjacent each flange for rotation with said axle, pinions means mounted on each extension and adapted to be actuated by the respective gear wheel, a comb disposed beneath the stationary comb of the clipper in a normally parallel position therewith the comb including two arms extending rearwardly from its respective ends and pivotally mounted on said axle, and two arcuate racks straddling said comb and rising at right angle therefrom, the racks being in mesh with the pinion means, a wheel mounted upon the axle at each end thereof for a frictional engagement with the scalp of a person during the operative use of the clipper, and clutch means within the wheels to cause, selectively, the rotation of the gear wheels and the pinion means to actuate the racks, or the rotation of the wheels alone Without affecting the gear wheels.

2. In combination with an electric hair clipper having a base plate terminating at its front end with a stationary comb, a bracket consisting of a plate adapted to be attached to said base plate in parallel abutment therewith and a side flange depending from each end of the first named plate, each flange including an extension in the direction of said stationary comb, each flange being provided with a bearing for reception of an axle supported by said bearings and disposed parallel with said stationary comb, the axle being provided at each end with an annular groove, a gear wheel mounted upon said axle adjacent each flange for rotation with said axle, pinion means mounted on each extension and adapted to be actuated by the respective gear wheels, a comb disposed beneath the stationary comb of the clipper in a normally parallel position therewith, the comb including at each end an arm pivotally mounted on said axle, and an arcuate rack rising at right angle from said comb and being in mesh with the respective pinion means, a wheel mounted upon the axle at each end thereof for a frictional engagement with the scalp of a person during the operative use of the clipper, the wheel having a hollow hub and a plurality of radially disposed pins therewithin, the pins being at one end imbedded in the rim portion of the respective wheel while the opposite ends of said pins are in a frictional contact with the axle to cause its rotation with the rotation of the wheel, the axle being adapted to be shifted endwise through said hubsfor alinement of the inner ends of the pins with the respective grooves in said axle to permit free rotation of the wheels without imparting a rotary movement to the axle.

No references cited. 

